The writer said: “Finally, constant attention and exposure must be given to the unchristian behavior of the plutocrats, and the unchristian implications of their policies. Cruelty, callousness, greed and aggressive warfare are not Christian virtues.”–that’s exactly what I meant when I wrote my post “How Sarah Palin Turned Me Off Religion!” Why can’t the fundamentalists see this?

Interesting how the writer pointed out that the far right is more concerned about personal sin and banning things like homosexuality or abortion but they don’t care about social or economical injustice. It always flabbergasts me that they are all gung ho over war but they flip their lids about abortion. They claim they don’t want bigger government or govermental interference yet they fight to say prayers in a court room where other citizens, who may not feel the same, are forced to listen. And perhaps be intimidated. It’s their way or the highway. And it’s true–the corporations and the rich guys are using them. They picked the right foot soldiers. All their leaders–Falwell, Limbaugh, Ann Coulter–they’re all raking in the bucks, aren’t they?

I’ll tell you what Jesus would want. He’d want everyone to read your post very slowly and with an open mind.

http://www.GreenerPastures–ACityGirlGoesCountry.blogspot.com

You raise some interesting points, but your critique doesn’t refute Dr. Partridge’s thesis. I am on a search for understanding and I am not an expert in anything, so I can’t refute what you’ve written. However, I do think that Dr. Partridge was confining his statements to words said to have been spoken by Jesus. Thus, your statement that St. Paul condemns homosexuality isn’t relevant to Dr. Partridge’s thesis. And while the Bible may well contain several verses that support the idea of an unborn child’s soul, again, those verses were not the words of Jesus. Correct me if I’m wrong.

I have no expertise in the persecution of Christians in Muslim countries, but I imagine that part of the persecution stemmed from Christian attempts at proselytizing their faith. Again, correct me if I’m wrong.

While George Bush may well have done good in Africa by contributing to the fight against AIDS, the evil that he also did in the rest of the world far outweighs anything that he accomplished in Africa.

Thank you for taking the time to comment. I offer these pieces on my blog in an attempt to bring an alternate view of events to a larger audience than the authors originally had. I am happy that you have taken the time to read what I’ve posted and that you have commented so thoughtfully.

Your comment about the United States producing more weaponry “than most of the world put together” inspired my next post. Thank you!

Contrary to the writer’s interpretation, the Bible does condemn pornography, homosexuality and abortion. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has committed adultery in his heart, St. Paul said that practicing homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God, and the Bible has several verses which point to an understanding that an unborn child possesses a soul, especially the stories around Jesus’ nativity.

His comparison of other religions is inaccurate in some ways too. He cites the tolerance under Islam, but as many Coptic Christians could plainly tell us, the experience of Christians under Islam for the past 1400 years has by no means been an experience of ‘tolerance’. Tens of thousands of Christians were martyred in Spain, the Balkans, the Middle East, North Africa and other places under Islamic rule. There are millions of Christians who have fled from Islamic countries in the 20th and 21st centuries due to harsh persecution by Muslims. As a person who doesn’t belong to a religion, this writer would likely find far greater tolerance towards himself in the Christian West than he would in any Islamic country.

However, he is absolutely on the mark when he questions what exactly would Jesus have thought about all this warfare and serving the rich which the religious right seems to be so supportive of. War is never the answer, but the United States produces more weaponry on its own than most of the world put together. Jesus instructed His followers to love their enemies.

Jesus instructed His followers to care for the poor and to not refuse from those who would beg from us. ‘It is better to give than it is to receive’. However, while much of the world lives in utter poverty, we in the West live in affluence. The Beatitudes would almost seem to condemn us on that account, and at the very least we should be sharing what we have with those who have not to a greater scale than we do. Bush did, contrary to what many may suppose, do quite a bit of good for Africa… he increased spending to reduce AIDS and to combat poverty in Africa, and according to some figures his policies even caused malaria infections to be halved in several African countries. Although, considering the resources available, we could still do much better.

And what did Jesus say about telling lies? Does that have any bearing on how the late administration entered the war in Iraq?

God Bless,